2^nd Lt. Joe C. Howard

Westview Cem., Monroe Co., Tn

Lacey-Davis Foundation and Ansa work together to build monuments dedicated to our pilots killed in France. The dedication below is for Joe Howard. His monument date is scheduled June 8, 2011.

2nd Lt. Joseph Calloway Howard

Unit:

9^th Army Air Force

368^th Fighter Group

397^th Fighter Squadron

Ride: P-47 Thunderbolt

3/5/1924 – 6/7/1944

Monument location will be at Saint Martin de Blagny, France

KIA 07June44
MACR #5717, Shot down by flak while
strafing near Littry, France.
P-47D-15-RE 42-75819

The following account was written by Jo Stakely, Archivist for Monroe County, TN

“A few months ago the Lacey-Davis Foundation contacted me with information concerning one of Monroe County’s World War II fallen heroes. Relic hunters in France had located the P-47 Thunderbolt plane piloted by Sweetwater native Lt. Joe C. Howard, who had been shot down over France on June 7^th, 1944, during the largest invasion force ever assembled - the invasion of Normandy, or D-Day. The Lacey-Davis foundation works with Normandy Association for Air of Europe during WWII, which is an organization of local French citizens sanctioned by their government to locate and preserve WWII relics. Their motto is: “To pass on their memory is our duty to future generations”. The ANSA wanted to erect a monument very near the plane crash site in order to honor Lt. Howard for his ultimate sacrifice in helping to liberate their country from the Nazi Regime. The Lacey-Davis Foundation and ANSA needed help in locating any living relatives of Lt. Howard so they could notify them of their find, their plans to erect the memorial and to invite them to the monument dedication. Financial assistance for families to attend these dedications is offered by the Lacey-Davis Foundation.

After searching through old newspaper articles and other records I was able to find that although Lt. Howard died in June of 1944, his body was not returned to his family and his hometown until February of 1948. He was not married nor did he have any children at the time of his death, but he did have a sister, Josephine, who could possibly be alive. Further research and a conversation with Larry Anderson led me to Josephine Denton, Lt. Howard’s sister, who still lives in Sweetwater. When Mr. Anderson informed Mrs. Denton that her brother’s fallen plane had been located in France, he said “she was moved to tears”. Mrs. Denton informed me that her brother was listed as Missing In Action until his grave was discovered in France. To her knowledge, his plane had not been found at that time. Upon the family’s request, his body was returned to the United States and after a military funeral with honors, he was buried in West View Cemetery.

After several months of hard work, the Monument for 2^nd Lt. Joseph Calloway Howard is scheduled to be dedicated today, June 8^th, 2011 in Saint Martin de Blagny, France. Although Mrs. Denton will not be able to attend, she states that she is “so proud they are remembering him in this way, and truly grateful for all they are doing”.

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SWEETWATER -- Lt. Joe C. Howard, pilot, reported missing in action over France since D-Day, grandmother, Mrs. Mark White, is notified.

The Knoxville News-Sentinel, Sun., July 2, 1944

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February 5^th, 1948

The Sweetwater Valley News

The body of Second Lieutenant Joe C. Howard was expected to arrive in Sweetwater this afternoon at 2:30. The veteran’s body was shipped from Atlanta with military escort Wednesday.

Reared in Sweetwater, Lt. Howard, who graduated from the local high school in 1942, was killed in the European Theatre where he served as pilot of a P-47.

The body will remain at the home of his grandmother, Mrs. Mark White, in Sweetwater until services Sunday afternoon at the First Baptist Church. Services will begin at 2:30 with Rev O. D. Fleming officiating. Members of the Sweetwater Veterans of Foreign Wars will serve as pall bearers for the military funeral. A full firing squad and bugler will be used during burial.

Interment will be at West View Cemetery with Kykers in charge. Lt. Howard is survived by one sister, Josephine Howard, and two grandmothers, Mrs. Mark White and Mrs. Joe C. Howard, both of Sweetwater.

2 LT Joe C. Howard
ID: 0-680907
Branch of Service: U.S. Army
Hometown: Monroe County, TN
Status: KIA

P-47D-Thunderbolt

Researcher and Designer

Jo Stakely, Joy Locke & Joe Irons